Mumbai, Oct 15 (UNI) Veteran actor Pankaj Dheer, best known for his iconic portrayal of Karna in B.R. Chopra’s legendary television series Mahabharat, died here today after a prolonged battle with cancer, industry sources confirmed.

Dheer, 68, is survived by his wife, Anita Dheer, a well-known costume designer, and their son, Nikitin Dheer, a successful actor in the Hindi film industry.

The actor had been undergoing treatment for several years.

Despite major surgery and a brief recovery, the illness relapsed a few months ago, ultimately proving fatal.

The Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) officially confirmed his demise, expressing deep sorrow. They noted that Dheer had been frequently hospitalised in recent months.

His last rites were performed at 4:30 p.m. at the Pawan Hans

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